Physical activity is imperative for people of all ages and gender. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, there are a number of guidelines that “outline the minimum levels of physical activity required to gain a health benefit and ways to incorporate incidental physical activity into everyday life” (The Department of Health 2013). Unfortunately within our society, there are groups that find it difficult to adhere to these guidelines due to existing barriers. These barriers have developed over time, and without intervention they will continue to prevent these groups from participating. Teenage girls are one of the larger groups whereby lack of participation within physical activity is recognised. Girls are faced with concerns such as body image, the onset of menstruation, and general self-esteem issues with the changing body which in turn, leaves their physical health neglected.
References
From a young age girls are encouraged, just like the boys, to get involved in sport to stay fit healthy and healthy. However, studies have shown that from ages 9 – 13 girls had a participation rate of 71%, however this dropped to 51% for ages 14 – 16 (Keegan, 2013). A number of barriers have been recognised through studies that have identified for the main reasons for the lack of participation within these teenage girls. The first barrier girls are confronted with was “proving themselves to the boys” (Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2013). This is an additional internal pressure which girls with a sense of having to prove themselves. The second barrier was recognised as “girls are supposed to do girly things and boys are supposed to do boy-ee things” (Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2013) which recognises that there are a number of groupings that exist and if the correct physical activity choice is not taken, it can result in the girls feeling “further segregated from the boys and left them feeling they didn’t have a choice” (Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2013). The final barrier is “there is a risk of a being embarrassed” (Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2013) which is the fear of any teenager in school classes, leaving them feeling concerned and intimidated about how they are being perceived.
It is very difficult for teenage girls to manage the varying pressures they are exposed to as they move through the teenage years. In future these girls need to be educated to realise it is not about placing these external pressures upon themselves, but focusing on what they enjoy. If they are doing what they enjoy, this will be recognised by those around them and they won’t be objectified. Girls need try and overcome the existent barriers to see the overcoming benefits of physical activity and understand that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle; they should maintain regular physical activity which will lead to a healthy and happier life as the years go on.
[Girls playing Football]
- 'Can You Hear Me? Giving Rise to the Voice of Girls in Physical Education' 2013, Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 35, 4, p. 439, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, EBSCOhost, viewed 22 October 2013.
- Department of Health, Australian Government Department of Health 2013, viewed 22 October 2013, http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-phys-act-guidelines
- Sarah Keegan, 2013, Unit 7983 Contemporary Issues in Sport, lecture 4, week 4, Sport and Children, lecture PowerPoint slides, viewed 22 October 2012, http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au
No comments:
Post a Comment